Polyethylene Microbeads

A few years ago, the bright blue and green beads in toothpaste were read as a sign of "advanced technology." They were added for appearance and a mild scrub effect. Today most responsible manufacturers have removed them — not because of fashion, but because of specific data.

What It Is

Microbeads are solid spherical particles of polyethylene (INCI: Polyethylene), ranging from tens to hundreds of micrometers in size. It is the same material used to make bags and film. In toothpaste it served two decorative-functional roles: it created the visual impression of "active capsules" and worked as a mild abrasive.

The problem is that neither of these roles actually requires plastic. The visual effect is pure marketing, and the abrasive function has long been covered better by hydrated silica and calcium carbonate with controlled particle size.

Why It Is a Problem

Polyethylene is chemically inert and does not dissolve. Unlike conventional abrasives that rinse away, smooth plastic beads can become lodged in the gingival sulcus — the narrow gap between the tooth and the gum.

This is exactly what dental hygienists in the US noticed in 2014: during cleanings they found colored microbeads accumulated in the gingival pocket of patients who used polyethylene-containing toothpastes. The pocket is a reservoir that is difficult to clean out, and foreign particles in it are a factor that contributes to plaque buildup and inflammation.

Under pressure from the professional community, Procter & Gamble announced a phase-out of polyethylene microbeads from its Crest line of toothpastes and completed it by 2016.

Regulation Caught Up With the Trend

The environmental side proved no less significant. Microbeads pass through wastewater treatment facilities and enter waterways as microplastic. Over a few years this led to direct legislative bans:

• United States — Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015: a ban on manufacturing rinse-off cosmetics with plastic microbeads.
• United Kingdom — Regulations 2017: a ban from 2018.
• European Union — Regulation (EU) 2023/2055: a restriction on intentionally added microplastic under REACH.

In Russia there is no separate ban yet, so formally such toothpastes can still be found on the market. But the direction is unambiguous: microplastic in personal care products is becoming a thing of the past.

What to Use Instead

If an abrasive is needed to remove plaque, the answer is hydrated silica or calcium carbonate: their particle shape and size are controlled in manufacturing, the RDA is manageable, and they rinse away completely.

If a visual "wow effect" is wanted, its place is not in the formula. QDRO does not add ingredients for appearance: every component in a formula must do clear work for oral health. Decorative microplastic does not meet that criterion — so we do not use it.